Apparatus for hardening very thin metallic plates.



` THUILUER. APPARATUS FOR HARDENING VERY- THIN METAlLlC PLATES. I APPucAnoN m2o M^a.25, 1911s.# 1,141,155. y l u g Patentedlune 1,i 1915.. g 4 sums-swan x.

. G.THuiLuEn,

ABEAHTUS FOR HARDENING VERY THIN METALLlC PLATES.

K v APfucmou mfp mums, 190e. l -v 1,141,155. Pandlune 1, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 22V/` I Witnesses; .n .y l JJ vG. THULLIER. APPARATUS FOR HARDENING'IVERY THIN METALLIC PLATES.

" APPLlc'ATmN FILED Mmz, I sos. l

PatentedJunel 1915.

G, THUILUER.

'0R HARDENmG VERY fram'. METALLIC PLATES.

'UNITE nrfrns atras ERICE.

GEORGES THUILLIER, 0F NOGENT EN BASSIGNY,

FRANCE, ASSIGNOR TO GILLETTE SAFETY RAZOR COMPANY,VOF BOSTON, MASSACHUSE'LTS. A CORPORATION OF MATNE.

APPARATUS FQBHLRDENING VERY THN Mlllltillll PITES.

Speciheation of Letters Patent. v Ptgmtgd J un@ 1,1935,

applicaties a. a nath as, 190s. serial. No. 423,248.

T0 all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that l, Gnonens THUILLInn, a citizen of the French Republic, and resident of Nogent en Bassigny, HauteMarne, France, have invented a certain newland useful Improvement in Apparatus for Hardening Very Thin Metallic Plates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for hardening very thin metallic plates, such as the steel blades used in .razors of the Gil lette type according to United States Patent No. 775135.

These blades being only several hundredths parts of a millimeter in thickness, it is eX- 'tremely difficult to harden the same thoroughly and homogeneously 'without risk of breakage and deformation. Above all such v`by these plane suracesare maintained at.

j perform the blades must be perfectly dat.

According to the present invention which is intended above mentioned, the blades are l'irst heated, uniformly throughout, and are then subf jected to a sudden anduniorm cooling ac# tion by compressing the same between two pla-ne cold surfaces, and preferably the inyvention is practised by heating the blades singly and successively by means of a Inutile.

The heating means comprise a inutile traversed by the blades and externally heated so that the temperature increases from one* end to the other; means are provided for passing the blades one by one through the Inutile, from the least heated end to the most highly heated end, so that the blades slowly and gradually acquire a temperature increasing progressively to the Vmaximum,

when the hardening should be rapidly ei' fected; at this moment the blade is quickly introduced or dropped between two plane cold surfaces which inclose it and subject it to high pressure throughout the period of cooling. Means are also provided wherethe desired temperaturel fordei'ecting the hardening by. contact, yand whereby they movements necessary -for the cycle of operations.

The annexed drawings show by way of example onel embodiment of the invention, ada ted to the hardening of plates in the form of the blades of Gillette razors.

'-,EEigure- 1 is a vertical section throughA,

devices,

to overcome the diilieulties' is only heated by conduction A which B, C; D, showing in section the Inutile and the heating furnace which surrounds it and the path traversed by the blades. Fig. -2 is a part transverse section through G, H (Fig. 3); the blocks with plane surfaces for compresn sion and for cooling the blades being shown j in full.

Fig'. 3 is a section through the axis E, F. (Fig. l) of a stopping device for the blades in their descent through the Inutile. IFig. 4 is a transverse section through L, M, (Fig. of the (Fig. 2)l of the whole apparatus, i

plan of the machine, in

system of the compressing and hardening blocks and Fig. 5 shows in plan a section through I, K, (Fig. t). Fig. 6 shows. thev actuating mechanism for the blade-stopping i seen from behindA (Fig. l); Fig. 7v is a section through N, P, (Fig. 6). Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are diagrams showing the posi-y tions of the cooling blocks at the di'erent periods of their operation.

The heating Inutile l, preferably ot pure nickel, is ,placed inside a furnace formed of sheet steel 2 which incloses a wall-3 of refractory bricks. The `Inutile and the furnace stand vertically, on a base plated, to

1ll and 12; these jets are arranged and suitably distributed toward the base c'f the furnace so that the upper part of the rouille and by the het gases which rise in the .annular space form` l between the outer wallsoii the inutile andthe inner walls of the ing the flue,

furnace: as a result the temperature is less at the top ofh'e Inutile than at the base.

furnace, which is closed by a cover 14a The blades to be hardened are fed one` by chimney 13 for the esca-pe of the burnt gases is arranged at the upper end of the' one, in `any suitable manner, tothe chute l5 guides thernjtothe internal passage D blades in the passage 16 'to the interior of the .mulile, as also the duration of theirpassage to the successive heating stages thefollowing escapement mechanism is provided: Twogroups of stops 17,17?, 17"' and 18, 18z

pass through the walls of .the furnace and enter the passage 16 'and are carried respec tively by twovertical supports formed by the angle irons 19 and 20: these angle irons are fixed to the ends of the arms of two forked levers 21 and 22 keyed. on a vertical arm 23, which is held and cscillates between two adjustable pins 24 and 25-`carried by the frame 26.

By a controlling arrangement Vdescribed below an oscillatirtg movement is imparted to the levers 21 and? 22 so that the two groups of stops 17 vand 18 alternately close the lnassage 16 through the muliie. To prevent 'the flame of the furnace coming in contact with the bladesywhich are heatedion entering the 'passage 16 by the orifices for the entry of the stops these -ioriices are provided with nickel tubes 27 screwed into the walls of the f inutile and passing also through the walls of the furnace. L

Ablade introduced into the inutile by the chute 15 is first stoppedby the stop 17, then -at Athe moment Ib f the oscillation of the levers 21 and 22, the stop 17 being withdrawn the blade is freed and falls, but isv stopped by the stop 18 which is introduced -iiito the passage 16. On the nextxoscillation of the levers, the blade continues todescend'and is' arrested on thestcp '17",` at-the sametinieas a second.

` blade introdu'cdd at' thislmomentinto the chute -15 comes against the stop 17, and soonL There are thus always in the apparatus several blades at different levels and thereat different euiperatnres; these blades,

"-desbending one stagegat each oscillation of the' levers, are thus heated progressively tov thffinal temperature desired which is that in the-vicinityof the lower stop 17 L `When the stops 17 are removed, the first blade introduced which is on 'the stop 17h falls from the lower end of the passage 16 of the muffle,

into the part ofthe apparatusc'where the" hardening iszelfected.

The oscillationi of, the levers 21 and 22 etleetedfas follows z-Under the table 28 of the iria/'chine i's'vhnngonbrackets 29 a" shaft M30 operatedforexample by fast andY loose pulleys .liand 132and carrying ajcani 33 suitablyprofiled` on one of its lateral faces:

this'cani/acts on the'lowei end of a lever 3 4 which passesthrough an opening in the table 28 and the other end of which is rigidly secured ftp one of the arms ofthe lower lever v21 by suitable means: a spring 36 is secured to the. second arm. of this lever21 andfbears'at its other end on the frame 26:

Athis spring by pulling on the lever 21, presses..

continiiusly the lower end of the lever 34 proach each other and are pressed very against the cam 33. The cam face has a lgd;, pression-37 and a'raised p'art 38 connected. in the direction of rotation-by an inclined part It is evident that when the idepres the other hand, the incline 39 and the part 38 'come opposite the lever 34, the levers 21,v

22 swing to the other side, the stops v18 are withdrawn while those 17 obstruct vthepassage.

screws' which are carried bythe ends of the These oscillating movements in the g two directions are limited by adjustable setl arms of a forked 'lever 40 keyed on the shaft i,

A23 and which abut respectively at 'each oscillation against the front and rear faces (Figi` 1) of the frame 26. It will be understood I that, for this reason, the lever 34 must have a certain elasticity.

[In the embodiment shown, the depressionv 37 covers a small arcof thecam surface,y the* i stops 18 will only stop the blades in'thcin descent for a very short interval `of time to interrupt the fall temporarily, but the stops l17 will actually stop the blades forthe purpose of beingheated at the different stages.

Itis also evident that the respective duration of action of the lstops 17 and 18 might.

selected. Also the number of f be otherwise stops' and v'stages may be modified The blade released by the last stop 17" falls between two metal blocks 41 and 42 at low temperature.- These two blocks arev preferably hollow as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and cooled by internal circulation of water, the inlet and outlet pipes 43 and 44 for the water are extended to the thin walls between orden to insure which the blade falls in thorough cooling. y At the moment the blade falls between the blocksVby means 'explained later,'th,ey ap# tightlyagainst each other, so that` the `blade willbe pressed between the two smooth coldv walls-which harden it by metallic Contact without defori'ning it the rapid fall oi'- tenipei'ature while keeping it perfectly flat. I -Then lthe blocks after the' desired interval of time for hardening it are moved apart and at the same time are shifted toward the -left-4 (Fig. v2) in order to bring the blade aboi-e a vslot 45 formed `in the table'28'through which. the blade falls into apassage46 whichA di#VV rects it into a hopper.A Then the blocks re-w I turn into their former position so that the space left-between them isan extension'of the channel 16 from the inutile. in order to?A receive a. fresh blade to be hardened asin the preceding case.

-The base 4 of the mutlle which separates l the latter lfrom the blocks is itself provided" with water circulation 47, 48 in order tol nrevent the high temperature in the baseofy ist iisf

. another n accou having a certain el l the finger 1 able pow at one e eration is effected a '45 hardened a, blade come first, on beingsepai' count of 'the` compression of the the 1in the blocks towar Athe 'furnace .from the; blocks.

.y The movement of the blocks is e'ected by a cam 49 keyedV on the cam shaft 30: this cam which has a suitable profile on its cir.- cmnference acts through the Aintermediary .of a roller 454 on the lower arm of a linger 50, which oscillates around a shaft 5l mounted in bearing brackets 52. The upper arm acts on the leftiI block 41 (Fig. 2) through the intermediary of a bent part asticity and held between two nuts 56 and 57 on a threaded'spindle 58 carried by the upper arm of the finger 50, so

as to allow adjustment ofthe part (55 in rela-v tion to the finger 50 and therefore the pres surek of the blocks. The position of the oint of contact 59 of .the part 55 with the block 41 is such that the pressure is exerted vsubstantially at vthe center of the blade which yis pressed between the blocks. These latter are guided in vtheir movement by two U-shaped guides, 6l bolted to the table and t/o 4which is'lixed the base 4 ,of the e: at the end opposite that at which 150i@ located a plate 62 carries a 63 serving as an adjustable abutment for ,limiting the movement of the blocks toward the right (Fig. 2). vThese blocks constantly tend to separate from one lnt of the springs 67 surrounding the spindles 66 xed to the shoul- 'ders 65 of one of these blocks and passing freely through the shoulders 6.4 block. Two4 other helical springs 68 of suiter surrounding the 'spindle 69 bear nd on the block 42 and at the other end on the plate 62 and thus constantly tend vto push both the blocks toward the left (Figs. 2 and 3). f..

T e arrangement of the cam 49 and of l as the adjustment of the finger 50 as wel the springs 67 and l68 are such that the opset screw -faes"o1the blocks having pressedv and rated, above the opening 45 of the table 28 'to allow the hardened blade tol fall (Fig. 8). Immediately afterward, the linger 50 exerts a lthrust toward the right: the two blocks are displaced in this direction, but, on acsprings the l .is greater these two the right ccupy the vdisplacement ofthe left block 4 l than that of the, right block 42 blocks while being, displaced to' thus approach each other and o l positions shown in Fig. 9. The retaining stop 17b then releases a blade which falls -between4l and 42. Exactly at rthis moment ger '50 is o d the right, but the 'block topped' by the abutment 63 and in bf the ispring 67, the block 41 is ard against its neighbor the blade gfthus tightly pressed between the two ,4,2 isA vs spite of the othel s follows :-The actingperated again and presses (Fig.

ments, the 50 may have the lpr aces (Fig. 16).' The ed theiinger 50 is rebined action of the two blocks are pushed e. the opening of the 70 e time they are lowing the blade to fall In order to obtain these moveoperating cam '49 of the finger oiileshown.`

With the cam turning in the direction of blade d e correspond tothe l below the heating pas e ai b @correspond wit blocks and the rel row 70, the steep part a b and the part h the opening of the ease Aof the hardened (Fig. 8); the slope ed and the part sof eading of the blocks sage 16 andthe fall l of the blade between the blocks by removing f the retaining stop followed (inclined p ing t remainder f g a of the c sponde tov time taken to har The angle of displacem two cams 83 and 49 -is suc ments of the retaining v actly The cam 49l dips in cater the bolts 72 claim ent of the United lic mue

nally one en`d to the other,

'the p the muiile so that they heated, and means for immediately at their. e

2. Apparatus for h plates, comprising,

cal m Way,

burners suitably distributed at part of this furnace so that the the muffle will. be directly heate upper part only by conduction a ot g tor a plates,

havin Fig. 9), immediately art e f) by the press-,- blocks (Fig. 10'): the

ircu'mference correden the blade. ent between the h that the move- 9o stops correspond eX- wi-th the movements of the blocks. y to the oil of a lubri- 7l secured to the table 28 by one of of one of the brackets29.

understood that, vwithout despirit of the invention, ruction maiy be modified,

emeans or preventingr oming between the vtwo ng'lo'wer, and for allowing he hardening is finished.

d `my invention what I and desire to secure by Letters Pat- States is pparatus for hardening thin metal- Y lates comprising, in combination, a means for heatingsaid muliie exter-l so that its temperature increases from means for advancing 11o tothe outlet end of Sli ogether of the will be lates one by one hardenii'ig the plates Xit from the' maille.

in comb uifle, iormed with a furnace surro ination, a vertiv ,an internal passage' unding the Inutile,

the `lower 'bottom-of 12o dand the nd bythe ases which rise in the furnace, means dvancing the plates in said passage-v hey will be .progressively heat- `129i ns for `hardening -these plates they leave the mulle.

will be progressively ardening thin izneiallic 116 heating v said muiiie so that its temperature increases from ,one of its ends to the other,

a systemof stops, means formoving said..

stops alternately so as to close and open the passage-way andy let the plates descend pro-I gressively andA means for hardening the -plates immediately they fall from the muiile.

I 4. Apparatus for hardening thin metal-lic plates, comprising, in combination, a muiiie, a furnace for heating the muflle externally in such manner that its temperature in= creases from onefend to the otli'er,'said fur.- nace being formed with aI number of orifices,

a system of stops passing through the oritrices for permitting the plates to descend to theloiier vpai-t ofthe `muiile so that they' will be progressively heated, nickel tubes surrounding the stops and preventing theY flame from comingin contact with the plates being heated, and meansfor hardening the plates immediately they leave the muffle.

. 5. Apparatus for hardening thin metallic plates, comprising, in combination, a muille 'formed vWith an internal'passage-Way, means Afor heating the muilie externally in such manner't-hat its temperature increases from below the'passage-Way and means kfor bringoneend tothe other, means for advancing thepla'testo the lower part of the mulile' -so thaty they `vvill be progressively heated, a system of tivo plane col'dmetallic surfaces ing saidsurfaces together andmoving them apart so as'to pressthe'pl'ate immediately it leaves tliemuiiie. f.

l y6i -Apparatus for hardening, thin metallic plates, comprising, in combination, a inutile,

means for 'heating' the mulile externally so that its temperature increases from` one end tothe other, means for advancing the plates through the inutile, two hollow.' metallic blocks with fiat faces beloiv'said passage y Way, said blocks being adapted .to piessthe y plate immediately it leaves the mufile, and

means for* maintaining the hardening surfaces of said blocks at the desired temper* ature.

plates, comprising in'eombinationa muffle,

means for heating the muffle externally,

.7. Apparatus for hardening thin metallic plates, comprising in combination, a mule, means. for; h'eatii'ig' the mulile externally, means for-advancing the 'plates so as to heat the same progressively, means for hardening the plates immediately they leave the. inutile, and Vmeans for -heat insulating the hardening means from the heating part of the apparatus.

8. Apparatus for hardening thin metallic means for advancing the plates so .that they are progressively heated, metallic' blocks formed with" flat faces serving to press.

igeach plate as it leaves the maille, means for lbringing the blocks together and moving them apart, and` means for preventing each plate from falling out of the vspacev between blocks, springs tending tomove both jb, lo `cksVv away from the iside ofthe slot, an 'adjustable said slot, thereby to the other, passing'each plate through the Vmaille and chilling the gather, and allowing hardening is finished.

thev blocks before the latter lare broughtfto# them to fall after 9. Apparatus for'h'ardeni'ng'thin metallic 'l i plates, comprising; in combination, alni'uiiie .having an internal passa'gelway, meansfon,

heating the mulile externally, means for-,m13

vWuming the* Plates tlI'OUgflI the inutile vs as' to heat the same progressively, two metallic` hloclrs'having fiat adJacent face s,1a tableon being formed with a slot located' aboveii' hopper, springs tendingl to' separate said aff;

abutment, and means for moving fthe block's Y, "L

against kth-is'- abutment against the aetien of l the springs so as to bring the space bet-Ween' `the separated blocks' underneath'. 'saidpas-O sage-Way and press a" plate between theol i blocks and then allow said springsto lbring he blocks and therewith the plat-,above y permitting the; :to t

fall into the hopper. i 10.- Apparatusfor *hardening thin metal.-

mliiile, means forheating said. mufile externally, `means for' advancing the plates lic, plates comprising, in combination, 'afm' through the munie', and inearisfforv liarde'n- 'i y i ing the plates immediately upon'tlieir `exitflffromthe muile.

`11. The herein describedproc'ess ofyhard-` I ening thin metallic plates which consists in heating a muilev'progres'sivel'yv from one' end upon its exitthe'refrom. l

i2. The herein deseribedpmcess*(if-tard;Q ening thin metallic plates `which consists in heatingy a muffle progressively `from 1 one end to the other, passing .each plate 'throughthe munie. ind r:liillingr the platebetiveen cold conducting surfaces immediately -ipon'fits class described,

plate4 .immediatelyto said lheating mea. s; means to cool't'he-f" heated blades; a channel'to 'conduct the hotIl blades from the heating to the coolingl i means, and an instrumentality to retain each" blade in the heating means a predeterminedf" length of time.

14. In apparatiisof the class described,vv al heater to receive the object-'to 'be'heated and protect it fromcontact with the heating medium, an intermittently operating support to temporarily retainthe object in the heterfv^` cooling means, and aclosed channel leading from ther heater to the cooling means, 'to conl duct, the heated object to saidfcooling means 15. In apparatus of the clas s described, a metallic block `maintained at high temperav when the support isrenderedinoperative."

ture land having a passage through it to receive the object to be heated, a device to temporarily 'arrestand automatically release 1 such object, the latter being protected by the -walls of the'passage from-contact with the thereto by the channel.

16. In apparatus for hardening blades, heating means including an externally heated metal block having an upright passage therethrough to z hardened, means toarrest the blade Within ysaid passage and release it automatically, an i'nclosed channel leading from the bottom of.

receive the blade to be -the passage, to conduct therefrom the heated -blade when released, and means to simul-A taneously cool and subject the hot blade to latter from the heater to the cooling andV pressure when delivered from said channel.

17. In apparatus for hardening blades", a heater to receive and protect a blade from direct contact with the heating medium, means to retain the blade in the heater and release it at a predetermined time, means to simultaneously cool and subject the hot blade to pressure, and means to condugzt the pressure-producing means.

1S. In apparatus for hardening blades, a heater to' receive and protect a blade from direct contact with fthe heating medium, means to retain theblade in the heater andrelease it at a predetermined time, means located below the heater to cool the hot blade, ,and a device to conduct by gravity the hot blade to the cooling means when released from the heater.

19. In apparatus for hardening blades, a heater consisting of an upright, massive metal block having a vertical blade passage therethrough, means to raise the temperature of said heater from the exterior thereof,

and a'blade-arrester moved automatically into and out of the passage, to arrest temporarily and then release a blade on its way through the passage. V20. In hardeningl apparatus, a heater conf sisting of a massive metallic block having an elongated, upright passage therethrough,

,means to raise the temperature of the passage, by application of, a

port'temporarily in said passage the object metallic heater having `a blade-receiving passage through it, .means to raise the tem- 'blade-pa ssage temperature of the passage, c

while protected from access of air andv di` n heating medium to the exterior of theA heater, and means to supheater, whereby a blade in the passage is heated and protected Afrom contact with the heating medium, automatic means to retain the blade a predetermined period inthe passage and then releaseA it, an instrumentality to deliver blades one by one to the passage, and cooling means connected with the heater to receive therefrom andcool the 'hot blades as they are released from the passage.

22. In apparatus for hardeningy blades,

heating means, comprising a covered chamber, to contain the heating medium, a metallic block constituting a heater and having a through it, said heater being set in the chamber with thev upperi end of the passage above the closed top thereof, the bottom of said chamber having an opening registering with the lower end of the passage, and a blade-arrester movable into and out of the passage at right angles thereto, the blades passing lengthwise down the passage and being arrested temporarily therein to acquire the requisite temperature. f 23. In apparatus for hardening blades, a heater maintained at high temperature and having a lpassage through it to receive a blade and protect the same from access of air during the heating operation, and a deviceto temporarily arrest movement of' the blade through the passage.

24. In apparatus for hardening blades, a block of large mass and high heat conductivity having a passage therethrough to receive'a blade to be heated, means to raise the the block, and thereby that of the passage, to the required degree, and a device to govern the movement of` a blade through the passage. v

25. In apparatus for hardening blades, a block of material capable of being highly heated and having an elongated blade passage therethrough, means to raise the temperature of the block to the reduireddegree, and means to arrest temporarily a blade in whereby the blade is heated rect contact with' the heating means'.`

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in' the presence of two subscribing witnesses. I GEORGES THULLIER.

Witnesses:

C. FROTTE, T. DRIvrRE. y 

